The Painter
by seza
Summary: Alec reunites with an X-5 painter from his past.
1. Default Chapter

Title: The Painter Author: Seza Disclaimer: I own no part of dark angel and this story is purely for entertainment. Rating:PG-13 Summary: Alec engages in a relationship with an X-5 painter.  
  
Chapter One. She carried a mass of plastic bags each containing a stiff piece of canvas under her arm. She was a soldier, or at least she use to be. She had been made to kill created in a test tube, brought up in a cell. She was an X-5, a genetic killing machine. But she was free from all that now. They had taught her to paint for a field mission, but she enjoyed it gave her the control, and now she was making a living out of it selling to homes and galleries. She was selling paintings around the neighbour hood when she smelt the particular scent of paint and linseed oil. It was coming from an old abandoned house, but they seemed to be the trend of this day and age. She went up to the steps leading up to the door. She thought for a moment about going back down the steps, she could smell dog, which with her feline DNA made her feel like running for her life. But she was curious and so she knocked on the door.  
  
"Hello anybody there? Look I'm an artist myself and I would really like to see some of your work I've got some of my own paintings here if you would like to have a look. Hello?"  
  
Inside the building.  
  
Alec and Joshua were lounging around the room, Alec was watching the t.v while Joshua was reading. Alec enjoyed spending time with Joshua, maybe because he didn't judge him the way like Max or Logan would. The sudden knocking on the door startled them both, normally Max would just barge right in, not really bother to knock. They heard the woman's voice. Joshua's ears pricked up when he heard 'paintings'.  
  
"Paintings Alec, some paintings."  
  
"Do you want to go up to the door and answer it." He stepped in front of Joshua when he took his statement seriously. " I don't think so Josh. Remember the reaction you usually get"  
  
"Running, screaming. But you could get them. I'll hide no one will see me. Please Alec." He looked into the pleading eyes it just wouldn't be fair not to let Joshua have something. He was always isolated he needed some thing to boost his spirits.  
  
"Okay but keep quite okay?" Joshua moved quickly down below to the basement waiting.  
  
Billie could hear shuffles within the building someone was defiantly home. She heard them come closer to the door. It swung open. Alec stepped out into the opening. "Hello?"  
  
"494" She was surprised to see him standing there.  
  
"482"  
  
"I thought I smelt something, although it smelt more like dog then rat."  
  
"You always had such a way with words."  
  
"So what you paint now? A bit of a break from all the backstabbing I suppose."  
  
"I don't paint, my friend does this is his house. I'm not really the artistic type."  
  
"Well its been really, really great seeing you again." Her tone dripped with sarcasm. She then heard a voice coming from one of the rooms inside the house.  
  
"Alec, paintings!"  
  
"Is that your roommate? Well I might at least get something out of this." She stepped by Alec into the old house. Joshua sneaked out from his hiding place. Billie spun around to look at Joshua then Alec. "You're living with a nomalie? Well I wouldn't of seen that coming. I thought they were the very lowest of the low, I believe lower then the ordinaries."  
  
"Just show him the paintings." He snapped back at her.  
  
"Calm down 494." She opened the plastic bags and emptied the contents onto the table. There must have been about twenty different paintings. Joshua began to look through the paintings before grabbing one. He ran to the basement. "Um where's he going?"  
  
"To the basement its where he keeps all his paintings."  
  
"So Alec, nice name too nice for you."  
  
"And what show stopping name did you give yourself?"  
  
"Billie. Is he coming back or what?"  
  
"Look I'm sorry about what happened at Manticore. I was just following orders. I didn't think they would do anything to you just stop you."  
  
"Well they didn't just stop me." They heard Joshua coming back up, he was now holding a large canvas as well as the smaller one.  
  
"Trade got no money."  
  
"Sounds fair" he handed her the large canvas. It was mostly dark large black shapes, it was so dark and in so much chaos.  
  
"Come on then Josh lets see her handy work" He peered around Joshua to se the painting he was holding. He was shocked to see a portrait of himself. It was simple. Just him against a pale background with faint mountains in the distance.  
  
"It's not that bad." Billie could see the look on his face. "You never liked my paintings." She snatched the painting that Alec was now holding. She felt the blood drain from her face.  
  
"My Alec for your Alec. Swap." Joshua said across to her. "No money, so we trade Alec for Alec. Much more fairer this way." She practically threw the painting back to Joshua.  
  
"Yes trade. I think that I got the better deal though, you have to keep something that looks like him. I better go. I'll be back when I have some new stuff, and when he's not here." She motioned towards Alec. She picked up the rest of her stuff and headed towards the door. On the way out she bumped into Max who had come up with supplies for Joshua. "Excuse me." She said as she pushed past Max and went out the door. Max continued to the room where Joshua and Alec were still standing. She dumped the things on the table.  
  
"Who was that Alec? She better not have seen Joshua. If he gets hurt because you can't control your girlfriends."  
  
"She wasn't my girlfriend she saw Joshua and it doesn't matter because she's an X-5 and once again not my girlfriend." His voice had become slightly raised.  
  
"So what was she doing here? Friendly house call? A nice little reunion."  
  
"She was selling paintings, smelt the paint here and wanted to see some of Joshua's work. That's all" Alec stormed away down to the basement where the piano could soon be heard playing. Max shrugged and started to unpack the food she had managed to scavenge.  
  
"What you got there Joshua?" Joshua was still holding the painting turning it around and around, looking at it from different angles. She knew this was something that he really enjoyed.  
  
"Traded painting" He handed the painting to her. "Swapped, my Alec for her Alec, no money, traded fair." Max examined the painting, it was a portrait of Alec, smiling or more so smirking, it seemed to be set in a forest, as mountains could be seen in the distance.  
  
"Joshua, I'm just taking this downstairs, okay?" Joshua nodded and started to go through the packages of food. Max walked down the stairs down to the basement. Alec was pounding on the keys. "Playing the piano again?" He gave no reply. " Who was she, really Alec?" She moved around the piano so that he could see her. She looked at the painting again. "You obviously meant a lot to her." She placed the painting down on the piano. Alec stopped playing.  
  
"The only thing that I mean to her is betrayal. She hates me."  
  
"I don't think so, I mean this painting. Nobody could paint something like that if they hated the person. Why would she only think of betrayal anyway, what could you have done to her?"  
  
"At Manticore, after you left we continued training and went on missions and objectives, right?"  
  
"Yeah they kept you guys on a pretty lead."  
  
"I was on a mission in the Colorado Hills, there was another squad of X- 5's. 482, I mean Billie was one of them. During the mission we became close, and remained as close as possible afterwards. It was a way for us to remain as human as possible, keeping that bond between us."  
  
"So you guys were pretty close, what's wrong with that?"  
  
"You don't understand after you're group broke out, we weren't kept 'close' any more we were split up, and were constantly on missions to keep us busy, as we got older though they couldn't stop us from building bonds and making plans. Me and Billie we saw each other a lot, and well things happened. We had a plan to get out, Billie was always smart, but I sacrificed her for my own safety and she was taken away."  
  
"Why the hell did you do that?"  
  
"They knew something was going on so they took us in both of us. To save myself I told them we were going to escape and that it was all Billie's idea. She got put in solitary confinement with the nomalies, I got put back where I was."  
  
"You betrayed her."  
  
"I did. Just another one on the list of things I've messed up."  
  
"But she cannot completely hate you, look at the painting. It's way to good. Listen Alec you may have stuffed up a lot of things, believe me, but this is something you could at least try to fix, go find her. Talk to her. I think that she would definitely listen, at least then you tried, right?"  
  
"I suppose. You ever thought of taking your own advice?"  
  
"I'm not talking to Logan, okay. Talking leads to meeting leads to touching leads to Logan dead."  
  
"That simple, huh?"  
  
"More simple like this then going to see him."  
  
"I think you're making a mistake."  
***  
  
Billie set down her paintings on the bench. She stood near the window looking out observing the people on the street. They had it so simple. They didn't have people hunting them down, people afraid to be around them and they hadn't just seen the guy who had put them in a dark hole for a year. She didn't want to remember what it was like down there, in the darkness, the noises, the howling, but most of all the screaming. Sometimes it was them, sometimes it was her screams. Screams of pain, loneliness and captivity. She didn't want to remember, she still had the nightmares about it. She couldn't forget. She walked over to the bench and pulled out the painting she had traded for. It was so dark like the hole. She remembered Alec and the way they used to be, until he betrayed her. His touch, his kiss everything seemed familiar like it had only just happened. She remembered him so well. She tried to put away these thoughts but she just couldn't. She couldn't believe that she had seen him again. She felt the hate, the lust the anger everything. It was all so confusing these conflicting feelings and emotions. She'd moved to Seattle to settle down hoping to find some of her own kind, but no him. She put the painting down and went to have a shower.  
***  
  
It was night time now, but the streets were still alive buzzing with activity. Billie brushed her hand through her golden curls, pulling the ringlets in her hair. She walked along the street she needed somewhere to relax have a drink. She'd been cooped up for most of the day. Understandably from prior experiences she did not like being confined. She found a bar that seemed to be pretty busy. She looked at the entrance and stepped into Crash.  
***  
  
Max, Alec and Original Cindy sat at one of the tables within the bar. They were talking about work at Jam Pony, all the jerk's that they had met that day and Max's relationship with Logan, mostly that last one.  
  
"Girl you need to talk to him, he'd understand you were scared that's all."  
  
"I have good reason to be scared, he's almost died twice. I think that's pretty clear it's not meant to be."  
  
"C'mon you know you want to go back, Boo. It's just a matter of time."  
  
"Not this time this is it. I'm not going back ever, never, ever."  
  
"Alec can you try and talk some sense into her?"  
  
"I did try but." He stopped mid-sentence taken in by the girl who had just entered the bar. "Billie." He muttered out. No longer interested in the conversation.  
  
"Hey Alec you still with us?" Original Cindy waved her hand in front of his face.  
  
"Yeah what is it?" He snapped out of his daze.  
  
"Who is that anyway?"  
  
"Transgenic." Max answered for Alec. He wasn't really completely all there at the moment. "Showed up at Joshua's selling paintings, she use to know Alec, he betrayed her, she hates him. That's the short story anyway. But I'm not so sure she hates him that much. She traded a painting with Joshua it was of Alec. She painted him really well. I mean could you really paint someone you hated like that. So beautifully?"  
  
"I doubt it although I'm not a very good painter."  
  
"You hearing this Alec? Go and talk to her, your chance to make things better is right here."  
  
"She'll leave as soon as she sees me coming. You watch." He finished his drink, slammed it down on the table. "Here goes nothing."  
  
Billie sat down at one of the bar stools, she ordered a drink and sat there playing with her hair. The bartender came back with her drink, she paid him and took a sip starting to relax. She felt someone coming closer towards her, but it was a crowded place. She felt someone grab her shoulder and instinctively she spun around and twisted their arm around their back pinning to the bar. People moved quickly away from her.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?"  
  
"Billie, it's me I just wanted to talk."  
  
"Alec?" From a distance Max and Original Cindy watched.  
  
"Well looks like that went well." Original Cindy stated. "Should we go break them up before she kills him?"  
  
"Nah he'll be right just caught her off guard."  
  
"Alec I don't want to talk okay, you hurt me, you put me in that hole. For a year I was down there. You don't understand what that was like." She released him, grabbed her coat and headed for the door.  
  
"Billie, wait. Don't worry people just a misunderstanding get back to your drinking." He ran after Billie. He saw her heading down the alley. He ran to catch up to her. "Billie, wait we need to talk." She spun around.  
  
"Why so I can listen to some excuses about why you did what you did? I already know why you did it. You were scared \, it was me or you and you chose yourself. I went through the same interrogation, but I didn't give up. I wouldn't turn you in because I thought you were something special, but you weren't." She started walking away again. Alec kept following her.  
  
"I know what I did was wrong okay, I know that. You think I haven't felt sorry for what I did. Until today I didn't even know you were still alive."  
  
"I don't want to talk, get that through your head."  
  
"Then don't." he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Just listen. I'm sorry. I could say it a million times and it would never be enough. I know that. But I am sorry and I'm not asking for you to forget what happened I just want another chance."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"What? Why, because I do."  
  
"To make yourself feel better. That you've done your bit and now it's up to me. I get to be the heartless one this time, well I suppose it makes a change for both of us."  
  
"Why do you hate me so much?"  
  
"That's a stupid question. You put me in a hole, remember?"  
  
"Is that it?"  
  
"Is that it? Does there really need to be more? I hate you because you did that to me, because I'm not the same person any more, because I can't sleep at night and I hate myself because although I should hate you I don't. Those feelings they don't go away, I want to feel that seething hate when I look at you but I can't, I can't." she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Why can't I hate you?" She turned and began to walk away again, Alec knew not to follow her this time, there was nothing more he needed to say. 


	2. The painter Chapter 2

The Painter Chapter 2.  
  
Author: Seza. Disclaimer: I own no part of dark angel and this story is purely for entertainment. Rating: PG-13  
  
Billie unlocked the door to her apartment. She took of her jacket and put it one of the chairs \. She took out a new canvas and placed it on her easel. She walked over to her drawers and pulled out her painting materials and began. She struck violently at the canvas with her brush. She painted long into the night never stopping, she was inspired she had gotten something back she felt sure she had lost forever. It was early morning when she had finished she was exhausted. She signed her painting, and collapsed onto her bed, she was soon fast asleep.  
  
***  
  
Alec rode his bike through the streets heading towards work. He rode through the roller door stopping suddenly at the first desk.  
  
"Hey Norm, got any special packages for me?" he peered over the desk. Normal's head popped up.  
  
"Not today. What exactly have you got going on here exactly?"  
  
"Nothing really. Just a little thing I've got going on. Nothing big. Just keep an eye out."  
  
"Sure thing me boy. Anyway no time for idle chit chat." Alec went to chuck his stuff into his locker.  
  
"Hey Alec."  
  
"Max to what do I owe this honour?"  
  
"Very funny. Just wanted to know if it hurt much. You know when she pinned you down on the bar."  
  
"You saw that huh?"  
  
"I think everyone pretty much saw it. Did she beat you to a bloody pulp in the alley way as well?"  
  
"As you can see quite well no she did not and that at the bar didn't hurt either."  
  
"Okay so what happened?"  
  
"She hates me she hates herself. Plenty of hate to go around."  
  
"So things went well then. Look Alec we all made mistakes at Manticore." She said in a low whisper. "It was unusual circumstances, we were programmed and manipulated. Only some of the blame can lie with us."  
  
Meanwhile.  
  
Billie looked up at the building, this place was so run down it was hard to imagine that something actually lived there. She knocked on the door.  
  
"Joshua, hello are you in there?" The door opened.  
  
"Hello? More paintings?"  
  
"Well no not exactly. I need to find Alec. Do you know where he is?"  
  
"He's at work Jam Pony."  
  
"Jam Pony right do you have a rough idea of where that is?"  
  
Back at Jam Pony.  
  
"It doesn't make it right though does it? We have choices, how we treated people. I could have protected her but I didn't, I sold her out to protect myself. I don't blame her for hating me. I have to go Max. I'll see ya later."  
  
***  
  
Billie had walked for ages, she really needed to get a bike or car or something.  
  
"Jam Pony." She said to herself reading the sign. "Bike messangers, huh." She walked through the entrance, it looked like a lot of work was going on. Yeah right, a whole lot of talking that was for sure. She went up to the front desk. There was no-one there, she looked among the clutter for a bell or something. A man popped up from behind the desk.  
  
"What are you doing miss?" he looked nervous and shifty she didn't like him. "I hope you're not looking for a job because I have enough lazy no- hopers as it is."  
  
"Believe me I'm not looking for a job here. I'm looking for one of your workers, his name is Alec. Is he here?"  
  
"He's not here, out on a run sorry, really I am. Bye."  
  
"Well if he's not here can you give him something?"  
  
"Oh, you're the one with the special package. Say no more I'll get it to him."  
  
"I don't see how he could know, but anyway make sure he gets it it's really important." She handed over the large package. She didn't know how he could possibly know, but he was going to get the package and that was all that mattered.  
  
***  
  
"Hey Alec that package you were waiting for came in." Alec was slightly confused he had already sorted that out during his run.  
  
"Really? Was it delivered by messenger?"  
  
"Nah some girl came in looking for you, had blonde, curly hair. She was pretty direct." He got the package from the counter behind him. "Here you go."  
  
"Thanks Norm." he went over to one of the chairs, looking at the package. It must have been a painting, but why would she send him a painting. He opened the brown paper it was enclosed in. It was a paining of the sunset streaching across a forest, two shillouted figures could be seen sitting together. A letter also fell out. He opened the folded letter and read it:  
  
Alec,  
  
I thought about what you said. Manticore is a thing of the past, it's gone really, really gone, the things that we did right or wrong don't matter anymore like they used to. I think I realise that now, and I want to change things, things that can be changed. When we were going to escape we said how we would have a picnic like normal people. Although the world isn't as ideal as we would have hoped. Now that we are outside we can have that picnic we wanted. If so I'll see you at Hyde Park tonight at 8:30 pm. I'll be waiting there.  
  
Billie.  
  
Alec finished reading the letter and folded it again. She'd actually listened to what he'd said. He took his stuff out of his locker and went to the front desk.  
  
"Hey Norm can I knock off early? Just got word of something special tonight."  
  
"Just drop this off first."  
  
"Sure thing. I'll make it up to ya."  
  
***  
  
Billie waited on the blanket she'd laid out. She stared out to nowhere, she was constantly daydreaming it seemed. She'd gotten used to doing nothing and just drifting. She had hoped he would come. She'd never stopped thinking about him while she was down there.  
  
"Billie." He touched her shoulder, she looked up.  
  
"Alec" he sat down beside her.  
  
"At least you didn't throw me to the ground this time."  
  
"Sorry about that, you surprised me." She finally gazed into those eyes, they trapped her there and she knew then that she was lost. "How did you know?"  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"About the package. You didn't get turned all psy-ops on me or anything like that?"  
  
"No. I thought it was another package. Kind of a little side business."  
  
"Still up to you're old tricks on the outside then."  
  
"Only sometimes. It's a lot easier out here then in Manticore but there will always be those corrupt people out there. I have to ask though, the painting, why did you paint me?"  
  
"You were the only person I ever really had any kind of feelings for. Painting you and those hills just reminded me of the person I use to be that nievity that I use to have. Just a way of seeing where I've been and how I've changed."  
  
"You haven't changed that much."  
  
"And neither have you." She could feel herself being drawn closer and closer to him, still looking into those eyes. A gentle smile replaced the usual cocky smirk. They could feel themselves being drawn to one another. 


	3. The Painter Chapter 3

The Painter Chapter 3  
  
Author: Seza.  
  
Disclaimer: I own no part of Dark Angel and this story is for entertainment.  
  
Summary: The picnic at the park continues.  
  
Those trusting eyes saw into his soul, they read him, and only made the butterflies in his stomach become more and more pronounced. He never wanted to let those eyes down again, to see them full of tears. No, never again. A sudden noise broke the stare, both looked towards the sector policeman emerge from the bushes.  
  
"Sorry to interrupt you kids. It's not really safe out here though, all sorts of weird things have been happening out here. Reports of monsters and things like that. Just be careful. Okay."  
  
"Thanks officer." Alec replied. The expression of shock had left his face as the policeman left the area.  
  
"You should have seen your face. Though he's right. Better watch out for those monsters."  
  
"Definitely oh wait the monsters are us."  
  
"So you and that girl I bumped into, are you together or something?" she didn't know exactly how to word the question without making it sound so obvious.  
  
"Me and Max? yeah right that's a good one. Were just friends sort of. Allies that's slightly more accurate.  
  
"Oh." She shivered, she wasn't sure whether it was because it was getting cold or that it was his presence that sent shivers through her body. Probably the latter. He noticed either way. He took off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders.  
  
"That better."  
  
"Yeah thanks." The smell of the jacket his scent overwhelmed her. And then she looked up. The concerned eyes looking up at her. She noticed now that when they had been surprised by the police she had moved closer towards him. They were only mere centimeters away from each other. She could feel their lips gravitating towards each others. In a bold move he pressed his lips against hers. She responded kissing him back. Her hand pulled him closer still as he buried his hand in her hair. Suddenly she stopped and pulled away. Realizing how far she had lost herself, she moved away from him.  
  
"You okay. I'm sorry I shouldn't have."  
  
"No, no. It's just too soon. I, um should be going."  
  
"Billie. Wait, I'm sorry." But it was too late she had already gone.  
  
"Good one Alec." He mumbled to himself.  
  
***  
  
Billie went inside her apartment and locked the door after her. She began mumbling to her self. Why had she pulled away? He was what she wanted yet she had just pushed him away. She was frustrated with herself once again. She went to her cupboard and got out a cup. She felt someone from behind clasp their hand around her mouth. The cup smashed on the floor. She tried to struggle, but they were too strong.  
  
"There's no point struggling, you know I'm too strong." She knew that voice, she had heard it only moments before. She bit down hard on his hand, he let go screaming in pain. She wiped the blood from her mouth, and spun round. He was cradling his bleeding hand.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here? And how did you get here so fast?"  
  
"482, I've been looking for you."  
  
"Look, I told you my name's Billie. Why the hell did you grab me Alec?"  
  
"I'm not Alec."  
  
"Ben? What are you doing here? I didn't think you escaped from the fire."  
  
"Why? Because you left me there to burn."  
  
"It was chaos."  
  
"So I'm not dead. I follow you to Seattle, and find you here with my twin. Thought I'd surprise you for when you got home. Oh yeah Surprise!"  
  
"You're still a sick bastard you know that. Now get the hell out of my apartment!"  
  
"That's not very nice Billie, to treat you're old friend with such hostility."  
  
"You're not my friend Ben. You tried to trick me and I fell for it, that doesn't make us friends far from it."  
  
"You wanted to be tricked it was easy."  
  
"They should have never saved you. They should have left you in that forest, neck snapped." He lunged for her, but she was fast as well and managed to dodge out of the way leaving him to smash into the cupboard. He managed to whip around and grab her by the arm. She tried to break free but she was held tightly. She swung at his face, but he dodged her fist, grabbing it with his spare hand. Holding both her arms tightly he pulled her towards him.  
  
"It's been a while since we were this close." He said a smile spreading across his face. Her cold eyes stared at him.  
  
"Not long enough."  
  
"Really you seemed to enjoy it last time."  
  
"You mean when I thought you were your brother, yeah I really enjoyed that. But not as much as I'm going to enjoy this." She quickly raised her knee, kneeing him in the groin, he immediately released his grip on her. She made a run for the door unlocked it and ran out. She ran down the stairs into the street as fast as she could, her heart beating fast in her chest. She kept running to the only place she could think of going, Joshua's.  
  
***  
  
Max sat at Joshua's watching him paint. Although he was without a doubt bigger then her she felt as though she had to take care of him, he was her responsibility. So were all the other transgenics she had set upon the world. They were all her responsibility. At least Joshua was okay he had a good heart and that was all he needed.  
  
"Hey Josh, what you painting there?"  
  
"Billie, she was here today looking for Alec. I told her he was at jam pony so she went to look for him."  
  
"I guess he must have said something right." There was a thumping t the front door.  
  
"Joshua, help, please."  
  
"Billie." Joshua put down his paints and went to the door. He opened the door to see her standing there. She looked panicked and out of breath she had clearly been running for a long time. "Billie, are you okay?" she shook her head, tears were streaming down her face. There was still a trace of blood on her top.  
  
"I-I need to come in." Joshua let her through and closed the door after checking to make sure noone was following her. He led her to one of the chairs. She sat down holding her head in her hands, muttering to herself. "I didn't know he was alive, he was following me. I don't know what he wants."  
  
"Who?" Max asked.  
  
"Ben. Alec's brother, clone, whatever."  
  
"He can't be, he died."  
  
"That's really no obstacle to Manticore, they were fascinated by him, the effect the outside world had on him. Why he had turned out the way he did. So they fixed him. It was only a snapped neck, not impossible. Then he was put in with the rest of us who had gone wrong. He use to brag about the things he had done, the people he'd killed. Never said much about his own death, the one time he himself had been defeated."  
  
"Ben's alive."  
  
"Very much so and he's just as crazy as ever. I managed to get away but that probably just pissed him off."  
  
"We need to find him before he kills again. Billie you can stay here tonight, Joshua's strong, you'll be safe here." Joshua nodded accepting his new responsibility.  
  
"I'm not staying I'm just as strong as you are. I need to at east help."  
  
"If you're sure."  
  
"I am."  
  
"We should get back to your apartment and work from there. Knowing Ben he's probably left some kind of pattern. We'll get Alec on the way."  
  
"We can't."  
  
"Why not? The more of us the better, I don't want Ben getting away. Not again."  
  
"Okay." She didn't want Alec to find out what she had done and she didn't want to discuss what had happened at the park and she knew he was going to ask. It was just all too soon.  
  
"Come on. He can't have gotten that far."  
  
"Max if we do find him what are we going to do?"  
  
"I don't know." 


	4. Chapter 4

Max sat at Joshua's watching him paint, although he was bigger than her and stronger she felt as though she had to protect him, he was her responsibility. So were all the other transgenics she had set upon the world. They were all her responsibility. At least Joshua was okay he had a good heart and that was all he really needed.  
  
"Hey Joshua. What's the new subject?"  
  
"Billie, she was here today looking for Alec. I told her to go to Jam Pony and she went to find him."  
  
"I guess he must of said something right." There was then a thumping at the front door.  
  
"Joshua help please."  
  
"Billie." Joshua put down his paints and went immediately to th door. He opened the door to see her standing there. She was soaked from the rain and there was some blood on her shirt. She looked frantic and exhausted. "Billie, are you okay?" She shook her head tears streaming down her face.  
  
"I, I need to come in." Joshua moved away letting her inside, he looked out in to the street to make sure no-one had followed her before shutting the door. He led her to one of the chairs, she sat down, holding her head in her hands. "I didn't know he was alive, he was following me, I don't know what he wants."  
  
"Who?" Billie looked up, she hadn't even noticed that max was there. There was so much going on in her mind at that moment.  
  
"Ben. Alec's brother, clone, whatever."  
  
"He can't be, he died." Max couldn't believe her ears. She had seen him die, she had killed him with her own two hands.  
  
"That's really no obstacle for Manticore, they were fascinated by him. Why he had turned out the way her did. So they fixed him. It was only a snapped neck, not impossible for them. Then he got put in with the rest of us who had 'gone wrong'. He use to brag about the things he had done, the people he had killed. Never talked about his own death, the one time he had been defeated."  
  
"Ben's alive."  
  
"Very much so and he's just as messed up as ever. I managed to get away but that probably just pissed him off."  
  
"We need to find him. Do you feel up to it?"  
  
"I'm okay just surprised but I can fight if I need to."  
  
"Okay. Joshua you stay here. We'll go to Alec's we are going to need all the support we can get."  
  
"Max if we do find him what are we going to do?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
*** Alec let himself into his apartment and switched on the television. He looked again at the painting she had given him, she really did have talent, he just hadn't noticed it before. She was still just as beautiful. He felt as though he had pushed her too soon. He couldn't expect her to just immediately forgive him and everything would be back to how it use to be. It would take time and effort. But he was prepared to do anything to win back her trust. At that moment he heard a knock at the door, he broke off from his daydreams and went to answer the door.  
  
"Max, Billie, what happened? Is it White?"  
  
"No slightly worse can we come in?" Max answered.  
  
"Of course." He opened the door wider, smiling at Billie who gave an uneasy smile back. He closed the door behind them. "So what's with the faces?"  
  
"It's Ben." Max replied. "He's not dead, Manticore, they brought him back."  
  
"Ben my Manticore twin Ben."  
  
"One and the same."  
  
"How? I mean you snapped hi neck for gods sake." Billie looked at Max now realizing that she was the escapee who had killed her own brother.  
  
"Zack blew his brains out and they sure as hell fixed him."  
  
"True. So he's here in Seattle."  
  
"Yes." Billie spoke up. "He came to my apartment tonight, surprise me when I got home. He'd been following me."  
  
"He was put in that hole with you?"  
  
"Yes after they fixed him. Before the fire he went crazy. There were three other nomalies in there with us he killed them all and all Manticore could do was scribble in their note pads. I don't know why he didn't kill me maybe cause I was X series I don't know. But he's still dangerous and he needs to be stopped."  
  
"I'm sorry Billie all of this is my fault."  
  
"Don't blame yourself, Alec. You didn't bring back Ben, I just think the sooner we find him the better."  
  
"Then let's get going." Max spoke up. They left the building and began their search for Ben.  
*** They had searched all through the night and into the morning. It seemed they had looked everywhere they could think of. They were all thinking it when would he kill, or had he already started. There was only one way to find out, both Max and Alec knew. Max knew that she would need to make that call sooner or later. They went to Max's apartment. Billie was staring down at her clothes, she had only just noticed the blood on her shirt where Ben had grabbed her.  
  
"Billie do you want to get changed? I've got some spare clothes that would probably fit." They looked to be about the same size only Billie was a little taller.  
  
"Would you mind it's just I can smell him over me, it's his blood."  
  
"I'll find you something wait here." She went into her room. Billie looked nervously at Alec. They both felt weird about what had happened. Both were relieved when Max came back with some clothes. "Here, these look about the right size. The bathrooms over there." She pointed to one of the doors.  
  
"Thanks." She went into the door shutting it behind herself. Both Max and Alec sat down.  
  
"When are you going to call him?" Alec asked as if he was reading her mind.  
  
"I have to don't I? See if he knows anything about Ben."  
  
"I could call him if you want."  
  
"No." Max said sharply. "I'll call him, but it's only just this once for information and that's all." She went to the phone located in the kitchen. She dialed and hung up a couple of times, Alec imagined Logan wheeling over to get the phone over and over again, and chuckled to himself. Finally Max let Logan answer.  
  
"Hey Logan."  
  
"Max." He answered surprised to hear her.  
  
"Um. I need some information."  
  
"Oh." He said slightly disappointed. "What about?"  
  
"It seems Ben isn't exactly dead. Manticore fixed him and now he's back in Seattle."  
  
"I'll get in touch with my contacts see what I can find out. I'll phone you if I get anything."  
  
"Thanks." She hung up the phone. "He's going to look into it." The door to the bathroom opened. Billie emerged with the blood washed away.  
  
"Do you know where I can find a garbage chute?"  
  
"Out in the corridor. I'll come."  
  
"I can go by myself if I get into trouble I'll yell." She walked out into the hall.  
  
"She doesn't particularly like people taking care of her, does she?"  
  
"She never did, never let me help her in any of the missions. She always wanted to do things for herself."  
  
"She's a little nervous around you. One could even say blushing."  
  
"I have that effect on women."  
  
"I'm sure you do Alec." Billie re-entered the room.  
  
"Well that feels much better. Thanks, for the clothes Max they fit pretty good. She settled herself on the chair away from Alec. He was about to talk to her when the phone rang.  
  
"I have a feeling that's for me." Max took a deep breath and hopped up off the sofa to answer it.  
  
"Billie we have to at least talk."  
  
"About what?" She knew exactly what he was talking about. She just couldn't face it not at the moment, she had so much going on in her head that she couldn't deal with these feelings that she was having once again. Not yet anyway.  
  
"You know what. Don't try to tell me that you didn't feel something when we kissed."  
  
"You know that I felt something back there. Look I thought that I could handle being around you, as friends. But I can't, those feelings that I had in Manticore just keep flooding back."  
  
"You mean the hurt, anger and hate."  
  
"No I mean the lust, desire and want. I'm not ready to cope with those kinds of feelings not yet anyway." Max re-entered the room.  
  
"It's happened he's killed. A sector cop in sector nine. They found him his teeth ripped out. Ben's calling card."  
  
"We have to stop him Max. He's dangerous, we need to find him as soon as possible."  
  
"I know that Alec. It's just I don't know if I can kill him again."  
  
"We'll figure something out Max. But we need to find him first. We'll go to sector nine and work from there. He must be living nearby and without a sector pass he won't want to be drawing too much attention to himself."  
  
***  
  
They had been checking around abandoned buildings and a couple of churches. With Logan's help they had been able to find the places Ben was most likely to be. They were now checking the final building in that sector.  
  
"I don't think he's here Max." Alec said as he cleared the room that he was looking around.  
  
"Okay then let's go check another sector nearby. Where's Billie?"  
  
"Checking the last corridor. I'll go get her."  
  
"No need little brother, found her." Ben was standing in the corridor he was holding Billie a gun placed to her temple, Ben's finger on the trigger. "I don't remember giving any of you guys an invite."  
  
"Let her go Ben. I know you've killed but I can help we can get through this together."  
  
"Like old times hey Maxie. You going to leave me dead in the woods again?"  
  
"You didn't want to go back, you wanted to go to the good place, remember?"  
  
"The resemblance is uncanny isn't it?" Ben said changing the subject. "My own little brother. I've got a lot to teach you about the world."  
  
"I don't think that I want to learn from a psychopath like you."  
  
"Is everybody forgetting who's holding the gun? You've gone very quiet Billie, scared?"  
  
"What do you care? They should have left you in those woods, left you to rot into the ground it's where you belong." He pushed the nose of the gun into her head. She grimaced in pain not wanting to let him know that he was hurting her.  
  
"Billie I'm holding a gun to your head. A word of advice don't piss me off."  
  
"If you were going to shoot me you would've done it already. You obviously want something so cut the crap."  
  
"Smart girl she's right. I do want something, well not me personally. My new best buddy, White. Apparently a certain brother of mine couldn't kill transgenics, but I really have no problem."  
  
"You're working with White?"  
  
"Yeah. I am he wants you, Max god knows why ut he does. So tell you what I'll swap you. You for her."  
  
"Max don't it's my fault. I got caught."  
  
"Don't get all noble on me Billie. I know what you're really like."  
  
"You don't know shit Ben."  
  
"Ohhhh. Fiesty. I like it. Max, hurry up and make a decision or I might be tempted to keep her." Max knew then that she had to make a decision.  
  
To be continued. 


End file.
